Halfway to Anywhere
by Rayli Zack
Summary: 50 sentences on a different life. Kuchiki Byakuya and a not quite Kurosaki Ichigo.


**Disclaimer **: I do not own Bleach. All recognizable characters belong to Tite Kubo.

**Warnings **: AU, Genderbend (female Ichigo), not Betaed

**A/N** : First of all, a big Hi to everyone! As you can probably tell, this is based on the 1sentence prompts over at LiveJournal. I'm gonna complete all five sets, so there's definitely more coming in the future. I hope you enjoy reading! And please don't forget to review, and tell me any mistakes you see, because I'd really, really be thankful if you do. So please help out an aspiring writer, and tell me what I can improve on so I can give you better stories in the future. Thank you!

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**Comfort** – Just his lingering scent was enough to calm her mind and heart.

**Kiss** – Ichigo may have finally found a reason to _really_ hate her brother; if he ever stops Byakuya from kissing her _again_, only brother or not, Yuuki will pay.

**Soft** – For all that Byakuya appears to be cold and apathetic, she knows that he isn't hardened enough not to be hurt by rejection.

**Pain** – She feels an unpleasant twinge on her chest, right where her heart should be, and it was only when she felt the first tear make its way down her cheeks, that she recognizes just exactly what it is.

**Potatoes** – She'd almost turned the potato she'd been peeling to a pulp when she heard about her brother's tryst with Hitsugaya, and it took everything Byakuya had to stop her from rushing to the icy captain's division to show him how… displeased… she was at the news.

**Rain** – Normally she was gentle, and avoided confrontations at all cost, but when her loved ones are endangered, her fury was like hell-fire from the heavens.

**Chocolate** – It really didn't do well to refuse Ichigo when she wanted something, and Byakuya swore upon everything he held holy and sacred that he would never do so _ever again_; now, if he could only convince her of his sincerity, and promise to not call her childish again when she insists on feeding him chocolates, maybe he could ask her to untie him already.

**Happiness** – It didn't matter if she never smiled again; if she could do this for Byakuya, she'd be forever content to smile through him.

**Telephone** – The first time Byakuya heard their phone ring while he was visiting her in the human world, Ichigo had to restrain him from unleashing Senbonzakura on the poor thing.

**Ears** – He supposed it was his fault for not listening to her when she was so excited to tell him the story—still, she didn't need to pull at his ears like he was a naughty little boy, _thank you very much_.

**Name** – Byakuya never thought that a simple thing such as hearing his name pass from her lips could bring him to his knees.

**Sensual** – Byakuya swallowed hard as he watched Ichigo perform a dance for him, her lips set into a seductive little smile; before his mind completely shut down from the visual overload, he made a mental promise to make Shihoin Yoruichi suffer painfully, because really, there was just _no way_ that this was not the demon-cat's fault.

**Death** – He'd lost Ichigo once, and the pain he felt then was so much worse than when Hisana died after asking his forgiveness for never returning his love; but he'd found Ichigo once more, and this time, Byakuya would not let go: if death separates them again, he'd simply search for her, and bring her back where she would always belong—with him, in his arms, forever.

**Sex** – The first time they got intimate was very much memorable to both; if only because they wouldn't have gotten to doing anything if Byakuya hadn't resorted to drastic measures to shut her up—Ichigo had giggled and laughed too much.

**Touch** – Every time Ichigo got close to him just for random touches, Byakuya's lips would break into a little smile, and he'd reach for her hand; he hoped that with that simple gesture, he could convey the same need he had for her touch.

**Weakness** – The hellish training she went through under her brother's guidance was supposed to rid her of any weak points she might have had, but as Byakuya regarded her with smoldering, intent eyes, Ichigo thought that there was at least one weakness she didn't mind having.

**Tears** – He instantly regrets his cold words when he sees her eyes mist over, and before a single drop could fall, he kisses it away, murmuring his apologies over and over.

**Speed** – The speed with which Ichigo ran at the candy store surprised Byakuya a bit, and greatly annoyed him as well; he didn't care if the special cola-flavored lollipop was the last one they would have in the shop for some time, it still wasn't enough reason to leave him by himself in the middle of the street.

**Wind** – Ichigo tries to suppress her shiver as a cold breeze passes through, but he still must've seen it from the corner of his eye because right after, Byakuya pulls her close, seemingly without conscious thought.

**Freedom** – He'd accepted the fact that his life was no longer just his own when he became the head of Kuchiki clan, and though he bitterly resented this at some point, he couldn't bring himself to care about it anymore—not when he had Ichigo by his side to make it easier.

**Life** – She's been given another chance to start over, and she vows not waste it; this time, she will make him realize just how much she really loves him.

**Jealousy** – Seireitei never thought it would see the day Kuchiki Byakuya would trip a lowly 7th seat just because said 7th seat got a little too close to _his_ strawberry.

**Hands** – As they were making their way to the manor, Ichigo had the sudden urge to hold Byakuya's hand, so she did, and she'd been surprised, but very much pleased when, instead of pulling away, Byakuya had tightened his grip, and didn't let go until they were home.

**Taste** – Whenever Ichigo read a novel that described a kiss as being sweet, she'd get to thinking of when she'd have her first kiss, and whether it could really taste like candies and chocolates; after finally experiencing it (despite Yuuki's attempts to the opposite), she concluded that those novels were absolutely wrong because kissing Byakuya hadn't tasted sweet: it had tasted like heaven.

**Devotion** – Byakuya's devotion to Hisana was a source of deep pain for Ichigo, because as long as Byakuya was devoted to Hisana's memory, Ichigo could never hope to have his love.

**Forever** – Now that she knew about the Shinigami and Seireitei, Ichigo realized that nothing could really last forever when even death gods had to die at some point; however, considering a shinigami's lifespan as compared to a human's, it was practically endless anyway, so really, she and Byakuya were looking forward to quite a long time together.

**Blood** – Taking one look at Ichigo's expression, and the bloodlust shining in her eyes, only one thing passed through Byakuya's mind—"Hitsugaya-kun, it was nice to have known you."

**Sickness** – As he watched his wife bent over the toilet for the 6th time that week, retching as though she wanted to expel her internal organs out through her mouth, he was sure that Ichigo was keeping something from him; her sheepish look after she was done only confirmed his thought.

**Melody** – Yuuki had told him that Ichigo had quite the singing voice, but no matter how much she was cajoled, threatened, or bribed, she absolutely refused to sing in front of him.

**Star** – Byakuya had woken up in the middle of the night to find Ichigo missing from their bed; after searching through the whole manor, and almost waking up the entire household to organize a search party—no, he _wasn't_ panicking at all—he'd found his wayward wife on the roof, gazing up at the star-filled sky.

**Home** – She'd brought warmth back into the walls of the manor that's been cold for far too long, making it truly feel like home.

**Confusion** – It would be a _huge_ understatement to say that Kuchiki Byakuya had been severely perplexed when Ichigo suddenly burst into tears at the sight of Rukia's drawing.

**Fear** – As Byakuya held her in an almost bruising grip, Ichigo vowed to rid him of the fear he had of her leaving.

**Lightning/Thunder** – From now, wherever she goes, he would always be sure to follow.

**Bonds** – She's made a lot of new friends since Yuuki told her the truth about their past; each and every one of them was important, but out of all of them, the bond she had with Byakuya might be her most cherished one yet.

**Market** – As Ichigo drags him to the direction of the local market, Byakuya realized that he would never be able to play the "I'm a noble" card to get out of doing things he didn't want.

**Technology** – Remembering _the_ incident regarding their telephone, Ichigo decided to forget the thought of ever teaching Byakuya how to use a cell phone.

**Gift** – The first material thing he had given her was a candy; she still had the wrapper tucked somewhere between the pages of her diary.

**Smile** – If such a simple act could make Ichigo focus all her dreamy-eyed attention only towards him, he supposed he would have to smile more often.

**Innocence** – Byakuya had this notion that he had to preserve her innocence at all cost; on the other hand, she thinks that he should already know she's never had any in the first place.

**Completion** – Holding his first-born in his arms while his wife looked on with a gentle albeit tired smile, Byakuya truly felt that there was nothing more he could ever need in his life.

**Clouds** – He wonders what is so special about the clear sky today that has her smiling so beautifully.

**Sky** – Byakuya's lips tilted up into a smile as Ichigo's joyful laugh reached his ears: she really did enjoy flying through Seireitei with him.

**Heaven** – If there was a Heaven after Seireitei, Ichigo wished that she could be there with Byakuya as well.

**Hell** – If there really was a Hell that existed, the years following Ichigo's disappearance could be compared to it.

**Sun** – Everyone had said that her previous incarnation was like the sun—warm, bright, and blazing with life.

**Moon** – So for her, it was only natural to think of herself as being like the moon: reflecting the sun's light to chase away the darkness of the night.

**Waves** – As clichéd as it may sound, Ichigo wanted to know how it would be like to take a walk along the shores with the man she loved.

**Hair** – Byakuya stilled her hand from where she was gripping her own hair in frustration; he was quite fond of running his fingers through them, and wouldn't stand to see it abused in any way, even though it was Ichigo herself doing it.

**Supernova** – Whenever Byakuya took her hands within his, it's as if there's an explosion of stars around them.


End file.
